History of St Luke’s Church:


‘St Luke's Church, Bold Place, Liverpool, is passed by hundreds of people everyday. Sometimes without a second glance to the reason why it is still there, nor the reasons of its elaborate history, nor knowing that the tower still contains the first ever metal bell frame in the world, still in situ. Gone are the Brides, gone are the bells that rang out from the tower, and in its place is an empty shell. A bombed and burnt out building lacking in roof and windows, but growing in history each day.’

- St. Luke’s Church (http://www.stlukeliverpool.co.uk)



St Luke’s church, known unofficially to most as the ‘bombed-out church’, was formerly an Anglican parish church that stood on the corner of Berry St. and Leece St in Liverpool, Merseyside. It was erected between the years of 1811 and 1832 by John Foster Sn. and his son John Foster Jr. The site was donated to the project in 1791 by Lord Derby with his one condition being that this plot of land only be used as the foundations of a church. After the designs were finished and Foster had obtained approval, construction was able to start in 1811. Throughout the slow labour process of building the church, John Foster often made amendments to his designs so that the building had an interchangeable use as both a church and a concert hall. The church was finally complete in 1832 under the supervision of John Foster Jr. It was used as both a church and a concert hall until 1849 when Liverpool Philharmonic Hall opened its doors on Hope Street. People often referred to it as the ‘doctor’s church’ due to its location close to Rodney Street, which homed a large majority of doctors and their practices. St Luke’s remained a popular, well-respected church within Liverpool until 1941 and the horror of the Liverpool Blitz left it in ruins.


In World War II, Liverpool was the most heavily bombed city in Britain (outside of London) as it became a target due to its extensive and vital docks being of great importance to England, especially during war times. On 6th May 1941 at 3:36 in the morning, Liverpool’s St Luke’s church was struck by an incendiary device and was left burning in flames. The church was one of many invaluable buildings that were left devastated during WWII, alongside The Bluecoat Chamber and the Liverpool Museum. The church remained in ruins after this attack, left as a constant reminder of the results of war and eventually became a memorial to all those who fought and lost, as well as an iconic figure/ tourist attraction to Liverpool.

Today it is open to the public to visit and marvel at this remarkable building and its history. The ‘bombed-out’ church has become home to a variety of people because of what it offers the community. It allows the homeless population within Liverpool to participate in activities, provides them with shelter during the day and offers them facilities and nourishments. It also holds host to a number of different events including; plays, concerts, dj nights, festivals, yoga and jiu jitsu that are offered to the public weekly. It is with thanks to Ambrose Reynolds and his team that tourists worldwide are allowed to appreciate the former church and anticipate what the future holds for this iconic building.